Hello all- I've been a member here since we completed our first pool a few years back. We built an inground gunite pool at our house that we love but it has come time to move to be closer to work. I expect we will be installing a pool at our new home and I am seriously considering vinyl to help offset some cost. Our pool now is freeform style about 33' long and 22' wide at its widest point, 3'-6' deep and cost us around $50K. From what I understand vinyl is significantly less? I am in central Oklahoma (Tuttle). I know at some point the liner would need to be replaced and a concrete would need to be re plastered at some point. Most all depending on install and care. Do vinyl pools have a "cheap" feel to them when you swim? Any other pros/cons? Anyone have an idea of cost on a vinyl pool installed? Any insight is always appreciated!!
Considering Vinyl
- Thread starter bull jr
- Start date
Just recently an industry publication did an article on the cost of different ways of building pools. One company said that in their area vinyl cost about 60% less than gunite or shotcrete pools. We have been building vinyl for 35 plus years and the changes in vinyl offerings is staggering. You might look into an ecoFinish pool, not sure if there is an installer down that way.
I had my new pool installed just past spring. I looked at all options, including vinyl, and for me I skipped over it because I have a big lab mix dog (and now new lab mix pup) which I will let swim, and was fearful of them clawing vinyl. If I did not have the dogs, I probably would have looked at much more closely.
My first pool home (8yrs) had a Vinyl pool. My second home (2yrs) had a concrete pool with a Quartz finish. I am now building a new Concrete pool with a Pebble finish at my current home.
Liner Pool: We had the liner replaced shortly after we purchased the pool for approx 5k (2004 prices). We loved the pool but you have to be careful about rips and tears. Cleaning and maint was a breeze with the smooth surface and salt water system. I did find that my suction side cleaner caused the bottom colors to fade early and this will wear out your liner much faster. I would assume all floor cleaners left in the pool for extended times will do this. I also had the liner float off the floor and walls due to heavy rains and high ground water. The liner did settle back in place but that was a scary few days.
Quartz Pool: I loved the concrete pool due to the unique shape and overall feel. But scrubbing and cleaning was a bit more labor intensive. Non salt pool.
New Pool: Time will tell but I didnt second guess the larger investment with the best Pebble finish. I may have skipped on water features and glass tiles to keep costs down but these can be added in the future if I desire. I see no problems with liner pools but I would not go back to one with the high water table in our area.
Liner Pool: We had the liner replaced shortly after we purchased the pool for approx 5k (2004 prices). We loved the pool but you have to be careful about rips and tears. Cleaning and maint was a breeze with the smooth surface and salt water system. I did find that my suction side cleaner caused the bottom colors to fade early and this will wear out your liner much faster. I would assume all floor cleaners left in the pool for extended times will do this. I also had the liner float off the floor and walls due to heavy rains and high ground water. The liner did settle back in place but that was a scary few days.
Quartz Pool: I loved the concrete pool due to the unique shape and overall feel. But scrubbing and cleaning was a bit more labor intensive. Non salt pool.
New Pool: Time will tell but I didnt second guess the larger investment with the best Pebble finish. I may have skipped on water features and glass tiles to keep costs down but these can be added in the future if I desire. I see no problems with liner pools but I would not go back to one with the high water table in our area.
That makes sense about dogs and damaging the vinyl. We don't currently have any dogs and aren't considering. I appreciate the insight Gary
I grew up with a vinyl pool. Parents had one and never had any issues with it. Maintenance is a breeze, literally just add chlorine and checked the water once a week and that pool never looked anything but crystal clear. First liner replacement was at 13 years with some noticeable fading. That replacement liner is going on 12 years now and is showing signs it's probably going to need replacement in the next year or two. We now have our own house and have a vinyl pool going in this spring, from the same installer that did my parents pool over 20 years ago. Gunite pools are not as common here in the Northeast, whereas vinyl pools are the norm. I can't say that I've ever known someone with a gunite pool in all my life living in New England. I know they're out there, but I just have never personally seen one, all vinyl in my experience. The cost difference in New England is about $10-15K more expensive for gunite over vinyl. With the shapes and options you can get in a vinyl pool, and the ease of maintenance, and the decreased cost, I wouldn't hesitate at all to go that route. It's also a much quicker and cleaner installation process too if that matters to you.
I wouldn't say it "feels" cheap to swim in. Its obviously not going to look like a concrete pool and one can tell the difference. However given the cost differences (at least in our area) it made sense with vinyl. Not to mention the neighborhood and house prices can't justify the added expense of concrete.
I would say though that vinyl could move some underwater. I can tell where some wrinkles have developed and can feel it under your feet. Also at night with the light on you can tell where there are some dips or indentations where the vermiculite bottom under the vinyl has tiny imperfections. Its something probably only I take notice of. I'll say nobody else who uses the pool says anything about it....and if they did I'd say go build and swim in your own pool then ;-)
I though don't have any complaints or regrets overall.
I would say though that vinyl could move some underwater. I can tell where some wrinkles have developed and can feel it under your feet. Also at night with the light on you can tell where there are some dips or indentations where the vermiculite bottom under the vinyl has tiny imperfections. Its something probably only I take notice of. I'll say nobody else who uses the pool says anything about it....and if they did I'd say go build and swim in your own pool then ;-)
I though don't have any complaints or regrets overall.
- Jul 16, 2012
- 7,212
- Pool Size
- 27000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Hayward Aqua Rite (T-15)
Everything has pros and cons...
I can't count how many liner threads here are about liners coming out of the track, ripping, having pinholes, fading, high ground water displacing the liner, footprints showing on the liner, pebbles under the liner, etc.
Likewise, neither can I count the threads about gunite pools with mysterious spots/streaking/mottling/discoloration, pool not shot to right depth/dimensions, etc.
Regarding water maintenance, after the first year (plaster affects pH) water chemistry maintenance is almost identical on either type of pool.
I preferred the appearance and trade-offs of gunite versus vinyl. But there are trade-offs to both. But some have done fantastic looking vinyl pools with gunite-like appearance as well. You can gussy them up. There was a thread titled something like Champagne on a Beer Budget, where the guy built an awesome looking upgraded vinyl pool. Much too is geographic and neighborhood specific. No easy answers.
I can't count how many liner threads here are about liners coming out of the track, ripping, having pinholes, fading, high ground water displacing the liner, footprints showing on the liner, pebbles under the liner, etc.
Likewise, neither can I count the threads about gunite pools with mysterious spots/streaking/mottling/discoloration, pool not shot to right depth/dimensions, etc.
Regarding water maintenance, after the first year (plaster affects pH) water chemistry maintenance is almost identical on either type of pool.
I preferred the appearance and trade-offs of gunite versus vinyl. But there are trade-offs to both. But some have done fantastic looking vinyl pools with gunite-like appearance as well. You can gussy them up. There was a thread titled something like Champagne on a Beer Budget, where the guy built an awesome looking upgraded vinyl pool. Much too is geographic and neighborhood specific. No easy answers.
borjis
LifeTime Supporter
I had plaster at my first house and vinyl in the second house.
It was pure luck i got the second house with a pool already (love me a pool!) but I had already looked
into having one installed had I not found that house. The cost for a basic rectangle in vinyl in my area would
have been around 20k.
The liner in my new house was crunchy and came of the track. maybe that and the half empty
green water scared away potential buyers (yay for me!) After i found the serial number, the pool
co told me that liner was 23 years old. Wow!
The new liner + installation was around 3,500. The serial number had worn off the old one
and I hadn't found the paper work yet so they had to custom measure for the new one (Plastimayd)
and that added about 800 to the cost.
It was pure luck i got the second house with a pool already (love me a pool!) but I had already looked
into having one installed had I not found that house. The cost for a basic rectangle in vinyl in my area would
have been around 20k.
The liner in my new house was crunchy and came of the track. maybe that and the half empty
green water scared away potential buyers (yay for me!) After i found the serial number, the pool
co told me that liner was 23 years old. Wow!
The new liner + installation was around 3,500. The serial number had worn off the old one
and I hadn't found the paper work yet so they had to custom measure for the new one (Plastimayd)
and that added about 800 to the cost.
We have a gunite in-ground with a vinyl liner. The pool has always had a liner.
I replaced the liner last year. It looks really nice, it's easy to maintain and take care of. It doesn't feel cheap at all. There are fake tiles on it and we've had a few people comment on how nice the tiles look before realizing they're fake. Point being it doesn't look fake at first glance.
All of that said.... I've had the liner float, and it's come out of the track. This spring I need to take part of the track down and re-drill a few holes.
I'm back and forth. When we need to replace this liner I am going to seriously consider plastering the pool. Plaster isn't common here, but I think with a good groundwater drain a plastered pool wouldn't have the same problems as vinyl, plus it'd look better.
The nice thing with cement and a liner is I have options. I can continue to have liners, or if I want I can plaster the pool and go that route. If at some point I don't want the plaster I can put a liner back in.
In our area most go with steel + vinyl. It's a lot cheaper and easier to install, but I'm not sure how long it lasts. You might be looking at wall repairs in 20 years. My concrete shell is extremely thick and will last decades. Well-maintained concrete doesn't have an expiration on it. Some of the Roman pools built out of concrete are still around..
I replaced the liner last year. It looks really nice, it's easy to maintain and take care of. It doesn't feel cheap at all. There are fake tiles on it and we've had a few people comment on how nice the tiles look before realizing they're fake. Point being it doesn't look fake at first glance.
All of that said.... I've had the liner float, and it's come out of the track. This spring I need to take part of the track down and re-drill a few holes.
I'm back and forth. When we need to replace this liner I am going to seriously consider plastering the pool. Plaster isn't common here, but I think with a good groundwater drain a plastered pool wouldn't have the same problems as vinyl, plus it'd look better.
The nice thing with cement and a liner is I have options. I can continue to have liners, or if I want I can plaster the pool and go that route. If at some point I don't want the plaster I can put a liner back in.
In our area most go with steel + vinyl. It's a lot cheaper and easier to install, but I'm not sure how long it lasts. You might be looking at wall repairs in 20 years. My concrete shell is extremely thick and will last decades. Well-maintained concrete doesn't have an expiration on it. Some of the Roman pools built out of concrete are still around..
Fibreglass a consideration? We're building this spring and are leaning the FG way after reading for about a year.
Vinyl is out due to dog!
In Toronto, gunite is a big premium over FG and vinyl.
Vinyl is out due to dog!
In Toronto, gunite is a big premium over FG and vinyl.